LSU's third quarter explosion buries USM in 45-10 win

LSU Tigers wide receiver Travin Dural (83) with the reception before he is pushed out of bounds on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER(Photo11: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)Buy Photo

BATON ROUGE — LSU played small ball in the first half Saturday night and found itself tied with 26-point underdog Southern Mississippi.

So it went deep.

The 25th-ranked Tigers scored three of their four touchdowns in the third quarter on plays of 61, 80 and 63 yards to turn a 10-10 deadlock into a 45-10 runaway victory in front of about 80,000 at Tiger Stadium Saturday night.

"I think our guys woke up a little bit at halftime," said LSU coach Ed Orgeron, whose team had a surprise open weekend last week with the game at Florida being postponed. "It was no Vince Lombardi speech. I just challenged them to play 60 minutes."

LSU (4-2) failed to mount a drive of more than 55 yards in the first half, so it shifted to quick strikes, and the Golden Eagles didn't know what hit them. On the third play of the second half, tailback Derrius Guice broke a 61-yard touchdown run for a 17-10 lead with 13:22 to go in the third period. That drive went 70 yards in three plays and lasted 1:38, which was LSU's longest time of possession on a scoring drive in the third quarter and gives you an idea of what's coming up.

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LSU Tigers wide receiver D.J. Chark (82) with the reception races to the outside to score again for the Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER(Photo11: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)

After safety Jamal Adams forced a fumble and recovered it for the Tigers at USM's 22-yard line, Guice scored two plays later on a 20-yard run for a 24-10 lead with 10:50 left in the third quarter. LSU's 22-yard touchdown drive took two plays and took up 1:02, but that apparently was not quick enough.

After an attempt at a sustained drive with two rushes by tailback Darrel Williams for eight yards and an incomplete pass, LSU quarterback Danny Etling went to the air. He threw about 20 yards to wide receiver D.J. Chark, who caught it near the sideline and took off. USM safety D'Nerius Antoine, who went to Westgate High in New Iberia, appeared to have the angle on Chark. But Chark didn't think so and outran him for an 80-yard touchdown and 31-10 lead. LSU's drive totaled 80 yards in one play with a 23-second time of possession.

"D.J. just made a good play," Etling said. "It was supposed to be a short completion. I was just able to fit it in there, and he outran everyone. That's what I've been used to seeing in practice."

The Tigers stuck with this strategy. On their next possession, Etling dropped back on first down and found wide receiver Malachi Dupre behind the secondary and hit him perfectly for a 63-yard touchdown and 38-10 lead with 1:58 to go in the third quarter. And that time of possession was five seconds quicker than the previous one at 18 seconds.

"The third quarter was just a bad quarter," USM coach Jay Hopson said. "We fell apart. It was bang, bang, bang. It went from a ballgame to down 21 in about three minutes. We can't have those spurts. It was a tale of two halves. We stopped big plays in the first half. Then they hit a big play on a run. Then they get a fumble, and they're up 14. Then they get another big play, and the game's out of control. It was like night and day. It was just big play, big play, big play."

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Tigers running back Nick Brossette (4) leaps over the defender to get the first down during the first half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER(Photo11: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)

Etling added a 23-yard touchdown pass to Dupre with 5:16 to go in the game for the 45-10 final. Etling finished 11 of 18 for 276 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Dupre caught three passes in all for 100 yards. Chark also had three receptions for 91 yards. Guice led all rushers with 162 yards on 16 carries.

In the end, time of possession had small meaning in this game as USM (4-3) held it for 37:59 to 22:01 for LSU.

"We took some shots down the field," Orgeron said. "They gave it to us, so we took it."

The Tigers' only touchdown in the first half came after a 55-yard drive in three plays with Chark scoring on a 19-yard end around to tie the game 7-7 with 2:22 to go in the first quarter. USM took a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game with a 75-yard drive in 15 plays. Tailback Ito Smith scored on a 1-yard run and finished with 64 yards on 16 carries.

"They hit us in the mouth on their first drive," Orgeron said.

USM quarterback Nick Mullens completed 25 of 36 passes, but just for 161 yards and no touchdowns.

"This was a taxing offense," Orgeron said. "They gave us some fits."

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Tigers defensive back Donte Jackson (1) with a huge kick return and is pushed out of bounds by Southern Miss Golden Eagles punter Tyler Sarrazin (82). The play is called back due to a holding penalty by the Tigers on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER(Photo11: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)

LSU took a 10-7 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Colby Delahoussaye that finished a 36-yard drive in five plays. USM tied it at 10 on a 37-yard field goal by Parker Shaunfield with 8:28 to go before halftime.

The Tigers, 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference, return to league play at 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN against Ole Miss (3-3, 1-2), which lost to Arkansas Saturday night.

"The competition's going to get a little stiffer," Orgeron said. "We're going to get tested."

Orgeron was Ole Miss' head coach 2005 through 2007 and was fired after three losing seasons. He was 0-8 in the SEC in his last season.

"I don't have many memories of that place that I want to remember," he said. "I'm glad I'm an LSU Tiger. It's going to be a classic battle."

Coverage of LSU and commentary by Glenn Guilbeau supported by Hebert’s Town & Country Automobile Dealer in Shreveport located at 1155 East Bert Kouns Loop. Research your next Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram at http://hebertstandc.com/.)

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LSU Tigers running back Derrius Guice (5) rushing for another first down for the Tigers before he is tackled by Eagles linebacker Elijah Parker (17) on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers running back Nick Brossette (4) leaps over the defender to get the first down during the first half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers defensive end Tashawn Bower (46) with the sack on the Eagles quarterback Nick Mullens (9) in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU Tigers tight end DeSean Smith (89) turns the corner before he is knocked out of bounds by Eagles defensive back Trae Collins (2) during the first quarter of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers defensive back Donte Jackson (1) with a huge kick return and is pushed out of bounds by Southern Miss Golden Eagles punter Tyler Sarrazin (82). The play is called back due to a holding penalty by the Tigers on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU Tigers safety Jamal Adams (33) recovers a fumble early in the third quarter only to score again two plays later to lead the Eagles by a score of 38-10 on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU Tigers wide receiver D.J. Chark (82) with the reception races to the outside to score again for the Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers defensive end Arden Key (49) with the hit on the Eagle quarterback during the second half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU defense totally dominate the second half of the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU defense totally dominate the second half of the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers running back Derrius Guice (5) tries to elude Eagles defensive back Tarvarius Moore (18) during the second half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU Tigers defensive tackle Edwin Alexander (95) with hit on the Eagles running back during the first half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye, The Daily Advertiser

Tigers running back Nick Brossette (4) tries to strip the ball from Eagles running back Tez Parks (8) during the first half of a non SEC game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

LSU Tigers wide receiver Travin Dural (83) with the reception before he is pushed out of bounds on Saturday October 15, 2016 BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser

Tigers wide receiver Malachi Dupre (15) with the fifth touchdown of the night for the Tigers on Saturday October 15, 2016. Tiger go on to defeat the Eagles by a final score of 45-10. BUDDY DELAHOUSSAYE/ THE ADVERTISER Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser